Bart Nnaji: 70 years of engineering common good

It is proper to confess from the outset that the headline for this essay is not entirely original to me. It is adapted from ‘Powering today: 70 years of engineering common good’, the theme of a symposium that heralded activities marking the 70th birthday of Professor Bartholomew ‘Bart’ Okechukwu Nnaji, former minister for power and facilitator of the Geometric Power Limited, Nigeria’s first indigenous power development company.

Growing up, Professor Nnaji, a Robotics Engineer and Artificial Intelligence (AI) expert, did not think that he would live up to 60 years. He had in fact told a friend that he had expected to die at about 60. That was not being fatalistic but he had thought that 60 was too old. “I could not imagine people being 60 and still wanting to be around. So, when I turned 60, I laughed at myself and said ‘look at you, you have not started’. I went past 60 and here I am at 70. Now, I no longer look at life that way. So, 70 is just a number or something like that”, he enthused.

But is 70 just a number in the real sense of the word? For Nnaji, who radiates greatness in simplicity, attaining the age, eventually, may not have been a big deal but analysis of his ideas, accomplishments and dreams within the time points to a life of profound impacts to humanity and society. That was the summary of testaments and activities in a three-day (July 17-19) loaded programme that headlined his 70th birthday.

The symposium at the International Conference centre, Enugu, that kick-started the events was a rollcall of personalities from different parts of the country and abroad. Among the dignitaries were former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, former Anambra State governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, Prof. Uche Azikiwe (widow of Nigeria’s first President, Nnamdi Azikiwe), national and state assembly lawmakers and the host governor, Dr. Peter Mbah. Their remarks on Nnaji reminded one of the allegory of blind men tasked with describing an elephant in which each gave a different account of his impressions on the mammoth creature, depending on which part of the body he touched. All, however, listed integrity, humility and perseverance as qualities that have seen Nnaji through as a scholar, public servant and entrepreneur.

Obasanjo, the chairman on the occasion, in eulogizing Nnaji for living an eventful life, raised a hypothetical question: ‘What is success?’ and offered an answer by summarizing success as bettering a situation in which one finds himself. Bart, he said, has attained such, considering his track record of achievements and legacies. Governor Mbah added: “If there is a tapestry running through Nnaji’s life, it is in the tendency to see life as a call to service”. For Emir Sanusi, Prof. Nnaji is a man of granite courage and steel constitution, as demonstrated in the zeal and persistence he manifested in rising above initial obstacles that stood against his power generation initiative. The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, whose tribute was read by a representative, lauded the celebrant for moving from ideas to impacts. In his words, the “Aba model (powered by Nnaji’s Geometric) is now a template on how Nigeria can scale over power challenges”. Governor Otti agreed, adding that in studying robotics engineering and artificial intelligence – a rare field – at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, 41 years ago, Nnaji saw ahead of his time.

The Enugu event and accompanying testimonials were befitting and deserving for Nnaji. Elsewhere, his marks and imprints resonated. From his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) supervisees came tomes of testimonies on his dedication and commitment in putting them through at the time he mentored them. One of the erstwhile candidates, Yan Wang, professor of mechanical engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, remarked, “Two decades after finishing my Ph.D. and having built my own academic career, I am still extremely proud to mention that Professor Nnaji was my advisor to any student, professor or even stranger I met and who is from Nigeria”. Another ex-student, Mehran Kamran, PhD., originally from Iran, simply wrote: “It has been 40 years since I joined your lab. Thanks for all your help and patience”.

Similar tributes and messages of commendation poured in from former colleagues in his days in public service. With all the effusions of friendship and affinity from different quarters, the temptation could be high to take Nnaji for the figurative city guy without attachment to his roots. But that is where the assumption goes wrong. Nnaji is a ‘Home Boy’, proud of his heritage and committed at taking it to the next level.

That was attested to by reports from his Umuode community, Nkanu East Local Government Area, which spoke glowingly of the transformation in the area through Nnaji’s development efforts in education, infrastructure, human empowerment, healthcare and social welfare, among other numerous interventions. “Also worthy of mention is Prof. Bart Nnaji’s foundation, which has awarded numerous scholarships, built schools, refurbished and equipped the science building of St. Patrick’s College, Emene, among others”, the chairman of Umuode Leaders of Thought, Hon. Justice Anthony Onovo, wrote in excitement.

Even with these feats, Nnaji is not done with the agenda for his townsmen. He said, “I have license to build Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics and we are going to build it in Umuode (my community), and I am building a technology university, if we succeed in getting approvals from the National Universities Commission”. For his people-oriented initiatives, he has been conferred with many titles such as Onwa Nkanu, Enyi Abia, Echeribe and Aka ji oku Ndigbo”. His kinsmen look forward to his presence in the town, always. Nnaji wishes so. “I like to be with normal human beings. That is where life really is, to be with normal human beings. That is why I always rush to my village to be with my village people; so that we can drink and gist and enjoy real life. To me, that is a real life”, he notes. But his tight schedule takes away large chunks of that interest. Nevertheless, he tries to make up whenever he is opportune.

Little wonder the poet-journalist, Uzor Maxim Uzoatu, asserts that “Prof. Bart Nnaji is a study in surprises”, in the preface to his concise but insightful book, “Bart Nnaji: The challenge of facing the future”. That element of surprise, an enigma of sorts, saw the professor taking the uncommon path of resigning as Nigeria’s Minister of Power on August 28, 2012, an unusual action by the country’s public office holders. It can only take a man of surprises, in fact, a modern-day Renaissance Man, to transition from the pinnacle of global robotics to the crucible of national infrastructure without losing touch with community demands and dutiful attention to the family. Nnaji combines these qualities admirably.

At home, he is the consummate husband to the beautiful and equally energetic wife, Agatha; a father committed to his children and an uncle with broad shoulders and wide arms to relations. A striking feature in his household is the difficulty in identifying and separating his biological children from nephews, nieces and even aides. Bart, indeed, lives his title, “Onwa” (the Moon that shines for all).

He desires that light extended to other parts of the country, for energy security and productivity. Nnaji said; “I will like to see that we continue to improve our power installation capacity and distribution capacity and the quality of power that we deliver because reliability is very important. I want to see us have power in the way it is generated and delivered in Western countries”. The wish finds practical expression in his audacious engagement with the Geometric Power Limited, that is presently supplying uninterrupted light to many local government areas in Abia state. It is for the authorities of the Nigerian state to make this dream a reality in other parts of the country, with relevant encouragement and motivation.

To prepare himself with the services he is rendering to his immediate family, Umuode community, Enugu state, Nigeria and the world, Nnaji, took a Bachelor of Science degree in physics at St John’s University, New York USA and was later at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University for his Masters and PhD in Engineering. He also obtained a Post Doctorate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (MIT). This is to wish Prof Bart Nnaji the septuagenarian, more glorious years ahead in his journey at engineering the common good.